I Will Always Find You
by Fantastical Chaos
Summary: "No matter what the world throws at us, I won't leave you so easily. No distance is too great. No ocean too large for me to swim across. I will always find you." Three-shot.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hello, beautiful peoples! If you're here, you probably agree that we need more MikuXRin content in the world. Well, here's my contribute to the cause! lol I hope you like it. :)**

**I actually got this idea through a dream (hella ironic since dreams play such a big role in this story). It was so good, I just had to write it. Even more, this was supposed to be a one-shot, not a three-shot, but there was so much I wanted to include that I decided three smaller parts might work better than one massively long part. I'm, as I write this author's note, halfway through writing the second chapter, so you shouldn't have to wait too long for the update!**

**If you like what you read, don't be afraid to hit that Follow button so you don't miss any updates. Reviews are always appreciated, and if you want more MikuXRin content, check out my other fanfic _Blood Rose_ (which is on hiatus right now but will begin receiving regular updates in June). The fanfic does have a MikuXKaito and MikuXRin love triangle going on, but it's still worth checking out if you like slow burn half as much as I do. :P**

**Disclaimer: I in no way, shape, or form own Vocaloid. Each character used belongs to the respective company that produced him/her; I merely borrowed them for non-profit entertainment purposes. However, I do claim ownership to the cover art and words below. Please enjoy.**

* * *

_Everything was on fire._

_The walls._

_The furniture._

_Even the blood of her husband was licked up by the flames._

This,_ Michaela thought,_ must be how hell is.

_When Riliane woke her and Kyle up to tell them the rebels had come, both man and guard forced Michaela to hide in the closet and to not come out, to not open the door until it was safe. Yet Michaela could not leave the deciphering of the sounds on the other side to her imagination. She had to know what was going on, so she opened the closet door just to peak._

_And witnessed one of the rebels beheading Kyle._

_Michaela had to choke back the scream threatening to tear from her throat._

_This is for the revolution, they said. Kyle was a lord and the king's favorite cousin. If the people wanted a revolution, they needed to wipe out everyone who could inherit the throne before they dethroned the king himself. And not just those who stood in the way of a new era, but anyone related to these people as well._

_Michaela knew if she was seen she would die. Yet as the flames the rebels started after they left consumed everything she held dear, she knew she would die if she remained. So much of her screamed to flee, but she stayed. Riliane told her to wait, and wait she would. She trusted Riliane. If that trust cost Michaela her life, then so be it._

Gasping, Miku bolted upright in bed. Her pajamas and her sheets clung to her sweaty form. Her heart raced as if it would explode from her chest at any given moment. That dream again. Always that dream.

Miku wiped the sweat off her forehead and looked at the time. She frowned. Only an hour remained until her alarm was supposed to go off. No point in trying to go back to sleep. Might as well get up and shower and make the best of her time until her morning class.

* * *

Naturally, with not much to do with her extra hour, Miku arrived to class early. She walked into the empty classroom and sat in her seat, front row and closest to the window. Pulling out her notebook and textbook, Miku flipped through the chapter they would be going over in humanities that day. It was about the country of Felicity and what became of it after the revolt.

As Miku reread some of the paragraphs, she couldn't help but swallow her saliva. _Just like in my dreams._ Perhaps that's why the dreams began, she reasoned with herself. The class was giving her ideas. Except, she hated to admit, the dreams started before this chapter. They started when-

As the classroom door flew open, Miku snapped her head to the side to see who arrived. Not that she needed to see. Only one person demanded such a presence when she entered.

Short blonde hair, piercing cerulean eyes, and well-toned muscles despite her small frame – these were all the characteristics of Erin Kagamine. Like usual, she wore shorty shorts and a cropped tee. Erin, Miku did not deny, was very cute, but Erin apparently went out of her way to not be seen as such. She always looked angry, and she had a sour attitude most of the time. If Miku was being honest, she was a little scared of the blonde.

It didn't help that Gumi, Miku's seatmate in this class, went to high school with Erin and could confirm that her tough exterior was no mere act.

It wasn't until Erin, seated diagonally across from Miku, cocked her head to the side and asked, "Is there something I can help you with?" that Miku realized she was staring.

Face going hot, Miku answered, "N-no. I'm sorry." She focused her attention back on the pages. Her heart began pounding. Despite herself, Miku wanted to look at Erin again. She couldn't figure out why.

* * *

_Smoke invaded her lungs. Her head was heavy. She would lose consciousness at any moment. Death would soon follow. Yet Michaela remained in the closet._

_Kyle was dead, she knew that for sure. Riliane had not come back for her, so Michaela feared she was dead too. If both people were already gone from this world, then Michaela wanted to be dead as well._

_Then the closet door flew open._

_"__Let's go!" said a voice Michaela knew better than her own._

_Strong arms hauled Michaela up and practically carried her out of the burning room. Riliane lead Michaela into one of the secret tunnels, where the flames had not yet touched but the smoke was thick in the air. Michaela didn't realize she was coughing until Riliane put a cloth over her nose and mouth in an attempt to filter out the smoke. Together they walked hurriedly through the tunnels, going deeper and deeper underground._

_They emerged a hundred yards away from the manor. By this point, the flames were so high Michaela could watch as her home collapsed in on itself. Kyle's body was still in there. He would never be buried. His ashes would mingle with those of the home they shared together, only to be scattered by the uncaring wind._

_When the emotions hit Michaela, they hit hard. She wailed and collapsed to her knees. Her chest ripped open. Her heart torn in two. Kyle had planned for them to take a boat to go to a neighboring country until this revolt passed. They were supposed to leave that morning. They were so close to getting away, but not close enough. Now . . . it was too late._

_"__Shhh." Riliane sat beside Michaela and put her arms around the lady. She pulled Michaela onto her chest and rested her chin on top of Michaela's head. In response, Michaela wrapped her arms around her guard and sobbed onto her. It was Riliane's body that muffled Michaela's screams._

_"__He's dead," she cried. "Kyle's dead."_

_Riliane didn't hide what Michaela already knew. "Yes."_

_"__I thought you were dead."_

_"__I'm not."_

_"__I thought you were dead."_

_Stroking Michaela's hair, Riliane held her tighter as she vowed under the night sky, "No matter what the world throws at us, I won't leave you so easily, Michaela. No distance is too great. No ocean too large for me to swim across. I will always find you."_

It was those words that replayed over and over in Miku's head as she awoke. _"I will always find you." _With six hours between humanities and algebra, she seized the opportunity to nap in her car. She didn't expect her dream to continue where it left off or to leave her feeling so emotional.

_"I will always find you."_

It was why she struggled to concentrate on her homework as she sat in the college computer lab. Gumi, who shared algebra with Miku as well, prattled on about God knows what as she did her own algebra problems. The only break Gumi gave in speaking was when she took a bite of her salad, and Miku didn't focus enough to give a response to whatever Gumi said during those breaks.

Finally, Gumi shook Miku and asked, "Hey, you okay? You're not really paying attention. I mean, you've been stuck on that problem for fifteen minutes, and I know it's not because you suddenly forgot the quadratic formula."

Blinking, Miku shook her head and answered, "Sorry. I'm fine. Really, I am. I guess I just can't get my mind off what we learned about in humanities today."

Gumi frowned. "You mean the revolution?"

"Yeah." Miku retrieved the textbook and opened to the page the professor spent most of their class time looking over. Seeing the names listed again caused Miku's heart to skip a beat. _Kyle Marlon and his wife Michaela._ Just two names in the brief list of casualties the author decided to include, yet the names reverberated through Miku in ways she couldn't understand.

"You know," Gumi said as she looked at the page and pointed at the painting of the couple, "Michaela looks a lot like you. It's kind of scary."

"It is," Miku agreed.

Gumi asked if this was why Miku couldn't stop thinking about the lesson, and not knowing how to explain her weird dreams, Miku answered positively. The history records claimed Michaela died with her husband; Miku could not begin to understand why her dreams insisted a different outcome, especially since there was no Riliane documented either. It was almost like an alternate history, yet these dreams felt so real Miku couldn't help but believe there was some truth to them.

"Here comes trouble," Gumi muttered, bringing Miku back to the real world.

Erin walked into the computer lab, dropped her backpack on the floor, and sat at the computer on the other side of the girls. This whole situation would probably have been less awkward if the three of them weren't currently the only ones in the computer lab.

Miku wanted to ignore Erin. Gumi had other ideas.

"Hey, Rin!" Gumi called, using the nickname Erin only allowed family, friends, and acquaintances she tolerated to use. "What'd you think of humanities class today?"

Erin blinked, surprised. Then, "Interesting, I guess."

Much to Miku's embarrassment, Gumi did not end the exchange there. She scooped up Miku's textbook and carried it to where Erin sat. Pointing at the painting, Gumi asked, "Doesn't Miku look an awful lot like Michaela?"

It took a while for Erin to answer. "Too much alike." After she spoke the words, Erin looked up from the book and turned her attention towards Miku. "They could be the same person."

Not knowing why, Miku blushed and held her head down. While Gumi and Erin talked, Miku pretended to be too busy finishing her algebra homework to participate in any more conversation.

* * *

_It had been three days since the attack on her home. The revolt was still going strong. At this point, the kingdom as it was would be no more._

_"__This is why we need to get away before everything falls apart," Riliane had said. "If you're going to live, my lady, we must flee to one of our neighboring countries and live under new names. We must do as Kyle had planned for both you and him."_

_"__I don't know if death would have been better," Michaela replied, earning a scolding from Riliane._

_"__No matter how appealing death may be, you will live," she all but demanded of Michaela. Riliane normally looked angry, but never at Michaela. It was so different and uncomfortable, Michaela shook as she tried to adjust to Riliane's angry glare directed at her. "No matter what, choose life. Do I make myself clear?"_

_It was something Michaela thought about often since the conversation happened, even now as they walked through the marketplace. To keep from being recognized, Michaela wore a mask and claimed to be ill with a highly contagious disease. She even wore the hood of her cloak to hide her bright hair. Riliane, on the other hand, needed no such disguise. Nobody knew who she was. To the general public, Riliane didn't exist._

_Michaela couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you afraid?"_

_"__Only for your safety."_

_"__Not for your family?"_

_"__My family is dead."_

_The confession slapped Michaela in the face. She froze where she stood, blinked, and jogged to catch up with Riliane before she lost her in the crowd. It was still early, but more people were arriving to the marketplace by the minute. "You never told me that."_

_Riliane kept walking. "There was no need to."_

_"__There doesn't have to be a 'need to' if you want to. Riliane, are we not friends?"_

_If the question caught Riliane off guard, she didn't show it. "I was employed by Master Kyle to keep you safe at all costs, my lady."_

_"__But Kyle is no longer with us," Michaela whispered, her voice breaking. "You are no longer employed to protect me. Why continue risking everything for me when you have no reason to anymore?"_

_"__You wouldn't understand." Riliane shook her head. She repeated the words softly, sadly. "You wouldn't understand."_

* * *

_Michaela never wanted to see or smell food ever again. They had only been on the boat for two days, and there were many more to come. She didn't know how she would survive the trip when her seasickness was this bad._

_If she wasn't in bed, barely conscious, Michaela leaned over the bucket the girls were supposed to use to relieve themselves and hurled up everything Riliane suggested she eat. Riliane, to her credit, did all she could to make the experience less miserable for Michaela as possible. There wasn't much she could do other than apply a wet cloth to Michaela's forehead and sing softly to pass the time, but Michaela was grateful nonetheless._

_By the end of the third day, Michaela grew used enough to the rocking motion to even try keeping something down. Riliane had brought in a bowl of soup from the dining quarters. It tasted awful, but Michaela drank the broth anyway to appease Riliane's insistence._

_"__I shall never ride a boat again," Michaela promised as she handed the empty bowl back to Riliane._

_"__If everything goes according to plan, we won't have to." Riliane set the bowl aside and then tucked a strand of hair out of Michaela's face. "Once we arrive to Thornton, our problems should consist of no more than finding employment and a place to sleep. We only need to remain strong for a little while longer."_

_Michaela didn't reply. Leaning into Riliane, she asked her companion to sing. After listening to a couple of Riliane's songs, Michaela expressed her interest in retiring for the day._

_"__As you wish, my lady." Riliane stood, but Michaela asked her to wait._

_"__Would you please lie with me and hold me close?" she questioned, unable to look Riliane in the eyes. "Just until I fall asleep?"_

_Taking a deep breath, Riliane answered, "Of course, Michaela."_

_When the two women laid side-by-side, Michaela snuggled close to Riliane. The older woman wrapped Michaela in her strong embrace. They weren't like this long before Michaela began to cry, her hot tears seeping through Riliane's tunic._

_Riliane kissed Michaela's forehead. "It's going to be okay."_

_"__But I'm scared, Riliane." Michaela buried her face deeper in Riliane's chest. "I'm scared."_

_"__I'm right here, Michaela," Riliane vowed. "No matter what monsters torment your nightmares, you're never alone. Remember my promise: I will always find you."_


	2. Chapter 2

Erin didn't show up for humanities that day. Miku didn't know why, but Erin's absence bothered her. It didn't make sense for her to feel this way.

_Since when have I begun looking forward to seeing Erin?_ Miku wondered. Her disappointment surprised her more than she cared to admit. Gumi rattled on about an annoying customer at work the day before, completely oblivious.

Miku nodded along and maintained conversation well enough for Gumi to not notice anything was off. Yet Erin still sat at the back of Miku's mind. Erin was always at the back of Miku's mind.

"See you later at algebra!" Gumi exclaimed as she walked towards the campus parking lot. On some days, between humanities and algebra, Gumi nannied for her older sister. This was one of those days, and Miku wasn't sure if she was disappointed or relieved her friend wouldn't be around to help distract her from her persistent thoughts.

"Might as well kill some time," Miku muttered to herself. Mall walking, she half-heartedly decided, was a decent way to pass the hours. With no homework to do and not interested in going home just to drive all the way back to the campus, Miku was desperate for something to occupy herself with.

First she checked one of the many clothing stores, then the bookstore. It was at the movie store it happened.

"That's a good movie."

Miku was so focused on reading the description that she didn't know anyone approached her. She jumped and snapped her head in the direction of the speaker. It was Erin.

Using her cerulean eyes to indicate the DVD Miku held, Erin asked, "Have you seen it?"

Dumbstruck, Miku looked at the front of the case again. _Wreck-It Ralph_. "No," Miku answered, "but it has been under my radar since its release."

Erin nodded. "If it makes any difference, I recommend it. Totally took me by surprise."

"A good kind of surprise?"

"Yes. Very."

"You watch movies often?"

"Not really, but I do enjoy one every now and again."

Miku hummed to herself. "Have you seen _The Darkest Minds_?"

"No. Is it good?"

"I don't know. I still can't find anyone to see it with me." It wasn't until Erin didn't respond that Miku realized she hoped Erin would offer to see it with her. _What's gotten into me all of a sudden?_ "Missed you in humanities this morning." As soon as the words were out, Miku wished she could take them back.

Erin, however, didn't seemed bother by the comment as she looked through the DVD display. "Slept in," was the only explanation she gave.

Defeated, Miku took the DVD she held to the check out and bought it. She didn't make it ten steps outside the store before Erin called for her to wait up.

"Wanna go get lunch at the food court?" she offered, looking calmer than Miku felt. "My next class isn't for another hour, so I got a lot of time to spare." She frowned. "Or do you have other plans?"

"No, I'm free." Miku could barely hear her own words over the sound of her pounding heart.

"What do you like to get at the food court?" Erin asked as they walked to said food court.

"The Asian noodles," Miku answered.

"Ah." Erin grinned. "A woman of taste, I see. Me too."

It was stupid, but Miku's heart fluttered at the thought of her and Erin having something in common.

After the two ordered and paid, received their food, and found an empty table in a corner of the food court, Erin asked as she sat and broke apart her chopsticks, "So, what did I miss in class today?"

"Just more on the fall of Felicity," Miku answered before biting into her eggroll.

"More dead royals."

"Unfortunately."

Erin shook her head. "What a terrible thing that must have been to live through."

"It was horrible." At Erin's confused gaze, Miku quickly and panickily said, "Or so it sounds to have been. Professor Hiyama really knows how to bring our lessons to life. The way he talks about it makes me feel as if I was really there."

The explanation must have worked. Erin did nothing more than shrug and reply, "I think you might be right. I've been having nightmares about the fall for a while now. Like I actually lived through it. It's weird, right?"

"Really weird," Miku agreed, brows furrowed. "What kind of dreams, if I may ask?"

Shrugging again, Erin said, "I don't really remember them when I wake up, which is pretty freaking frustrating because I want to know exactly what's going on. It's almost like watching a television series, except you forget what happens in the last episode before starting the next, and there's no recap."

"Oh." Not knowing what else to say, Miku slurped some noodles into her mouth.

"I think Michaela Marlon got away," Erin said out of the blue minutes later.

It took all Miku had to not choke on the food she still had in her mouth. "What makes you say that?"

"I don't know. It's just a theory. A pretty popular one too, if you recall. Professor Hiyama did say Michaela's body was never recovered, and what truly became of her is a mystery to this day."

"Maybe she did get away," Miku said, thinking of her dreams.

"Maybe," Erin agreed, looking at Miku but not really seeing her. She blinked and gave her head a quick shake. "Sorry. I was spacing out. Anyway, if Michaela really did escape, how do you think she did it?"

The image of Riliane coming to mind, Miku softly said, "She had help."

* * *

_Riliane rubbed Michaela's back as the woman threw up again. Unfortunately, getting off the boat didn't ease Michaela's seasickness as quickly as either wished. It was still the first day since arriving to Thornton, but both women hoped solid ground would have been the instant cure._

_"__I wish Kyle was here," Michaela said before spitting up again. They had just checked into an inn, and their room quickly became another hospital of sorts for Michaela._

_Hand frozen on Michaela's shoulder, Riliane replied with nothing more than, "I know."_

_"__How come you survived while he was murdered in our bedroom?"_

_It wasn't possible for Riliane to have gone more still. "I wish I could tell you," Riliane said, words spoken softly. "I fought the rebels. Killed some of them. Kyle fought just as bravely. When he went back for you, he was confident everything would be all right. Neither of us anticipated how much we underestimated the numbers and cleverness of the rebels." When Michaela didn't respond, Riliane asked, "Do you wish it was he who lived instead of I?"_

_"__No," Michaela answered. "I wish the three of us were here right now. I wish we all got away."_

_Riliane sighed. "Had Kyle lived, I would not be here with you."_

_"__Why is that, Riliane?" Michaela began to look sick again._

_"__He only planned for the two of you to escape."_

_"__What of you?"_

_"__What of me, my lady? He employed me to protect you. In a lot of ways, I was no different than a servant."_

_"__I would never have fled without you."_

_"__I would never have allowed you to stay."_

_"__Why?" Michaela gagged again. With no contents in her stomach left to spill, she merely dry heaved. After the episode subsided, she tried again. "Why continue to protect me? Why come with me in Kyle's place? Nobody knew who you were – Kyle hired you to guard me under the guise of a maid. You could have walked away that night, and no one would have known or blamed you if they did."_

_Stroking Michaela's hair, Riliane replied, "Even if abandoning you would have been the more beneficial choice for me, my heart would not have allowed it."_

_"__Why?"_

_It was after she lead Michaela to bed and tucked her in that Riliane answered, "I care too much for you."_

* * *

Ever since that day at the mall, Miku and Erin spent a lot of time together. Erin even insisted that Miku start calling her by her nickname. The permission was like a medal of honor in Miku's mind.

"Rin, why on earth did you text me at two in the morning?" Miku asked as she and Rin walked to class together as they had done every class day for the past few weeks.

"I was bored, and you were the last person I texted," Rin answered matter-of-factly.

"Why on earth were you up so late anyway? No wonder you have problems with oversleeping."

"You know me, always up during the ungodly hours of the night." Rin chuckled. "I always tell myself, 'Rin, you're going to go to bed early, get up at six, and start doing all the things you keep promising yourself you'll start doing.' Then one A.M. hits, and I find myself having this overdramatic lip sync concert in my room."

"Night owl."

"I'll accept it. Besides, people who get up early are masochists."

"And you want to be one of those people?"

"What? I like to make myself suffer."

* * *

Rin scowled. "I hate science."

"So do I, Rin, but we need two science credits. Might as well take one of them now, right?"

"Can't we just put science off for as long as possible?"

Shaking her head, Miku said, "I hear biology's an easy A if you take Kamui. Why don't we knock at least one science out next semester? If we're in the same class and lab, we can be lab partners!"

"You wouldn't want that," Rin snorted. "I'd make you do all the work."

Miku smiled to herself as Rin looked over the credits she still needed to get her degree. To her surprise, it was Rin's idea they take classes together next semester. After humanities that morning, they got lunch before heading to the computer lab to register for their next classes. Gumi had to nanny that day, but she and Miku texted back and forth in attempts to get another class, preferably pre calc, together.

After she took a massive bite of her burrito, Rin asked over the food in her mouth, "When do you think our grades for the midterm will be posted?"

"Sometime this week, I guess," Miku answered. "You still sure you did badly?"

"Could go either way, honestly."

While Rin took a bathroom break, Miku updated Gumi on the class schedule she was working out for herself. Gumi's response had nothing to do with shared classes or schedules. It almost had Miku spitting out her soda.

_Have you asked Rin out yet?_

Making sure said blonde wasn't coming back, Miku shook as she replid, _You know I'm not gay, Gumi._

_Well I don't think you're straight either. Deny it all you want, but you got a legit crush on Rin._

_"__Legit crush"? I don't know what you're talking about._

_All I'm saying is you obviously like her. If I'm not reading too much into it, I think she likes you too._

Miku was about to reply that Gumi _was_ reading too much into it, but Rin made her reappearance right then. Suddenly afraid Rin could read minds, Miku turned her phone face down and started thinking about her class schedule again.

"Aye or nay on biology?" she asked as Rin sat back down.

Sighing, Rin finally agreed. "Aye." After registering for her classes, Rin began to draw in one of her notebooks to occupy herself as Miku continued texting Gumi about classes they should share.

Every time she awaited a response from Gumi, Miku snuck glances at Rin. Now that the weather was cooling down, Rin's attire drastically changed. Instead of clothes that showed off her athletic figure, Rin wore baggy clothes to hide it. Her T-shirts were three sizes too big, and Miku was half convinced Rin was wearing boy jeans. Of course it didn't matter what Rin wore; she looked cute in everything.

"Do I have something on my face?" Rin asked, and that was how Miku realized Rin had caught her staring.

"No! No," Miku answered, her face feeling as if it burst into flames. "Uh, what are you drawing?"

"Whatever random Pokémon that pops into my head." Rin showed Miku the doodles. "I still don't understand how I can draw the perfect Mewtwo but still fail at Ditto of all Pokémon."

"That's talent, for sure."

"Hmm, I guess you're right." Rin frowned. "Hey, Miku?"

"Yeah?"

"Wanna go get dinner this weekend?"

* * *

_Whether it be fate or some stroke of luck, Michaela and Riliane both got jobs as maids in a merchant's home. They spent the day working together, and each night they slept in the room they shared. Their beds were nothing more than mattresses on the floor, but it didn't matter. Michaela hardly used her own anyway._

_"__I don't want to wake up," she mumbled into Riliane's back as the morning light entered through the window and crept up towards where their heads lay._

_"__We must," Riliane said, wishing it wasn't true._

_Michaela held Riliane tighter before her arms went completely slack. "How long have you loved me?"_

_The question completely caught Riliane off guard. Ripping herself from Michaela's grasp, Riliane looked the other woman over. Michaela merely gazed up at Riliane, her determined eyes conveying that she knew the truth and nothing Riliane said would convince her otherwise._

_At Riliane's failure to reply, Michaela sat up and looked her in the eyes. "You didn't leave me," she said, her words so soft they were barely audible. "You left everything you ever knew behind to help me get here where I could be safe. You protected me, cared for me, and loved me in these dark moments. I might not know how you love me, but you do. Don't deny what is so obvious."_

_Riliane opened and closed her mouth a few times, lost for the words to say. Then, "I have loved you from afar since the day we met."_

_"__But I was married to Kyle," Michaela pointed out._

_"__And I hated myself for loving someone I could never hold." Riliane sighed. "My own feelings are a mystery to me. I love you and care deeply for you, but I have no desire to love you the way Kyle did."_

_"__Because I'm used?"_

_"__No! Gracious, Michaela. Of course not." Riliane took hold of Michaela's hands. "What we have now, whatever it is, has been enough for me to be content with. And even if not, I could never ask you to abandon your love for your husband just to fulfill my selfish desires."_

_Shaking her head, Michaela replied, "You only half understand. I never loved Kyle, not in that way. Our marriage was arranged. Fortunately, we were fond of each other, and I believed love would come eventually. Except it never did. We were only ever good friends. Yes, I miss him dearly and wish every day he was still with us, but my loss isn't what you think it to be."_

_Riliane looked at their joined hands. Once upon a time, Michaela's small hands were pale and delicate. Now, after months of working as a maid, they were dry and scratched. However, they were still beautiful._

_"__Are the arrangements we have now really satisfying to you?" Michaela asked, wiping away a tear Riliane did not know fell down her cheek._

_"__Truly, almost," Riliane answered. "Simply loving you and being loved by you are enough for me. I don't need anything else."_

_Letting go of Riliane's hands, Michaela held Riliane's face and leaned forward so that their foreheads touched. "Neither do I," she whispered. "You are dearer to me than anything else in this world. In my own way, I have loved you as well. Only now do I understand how deep my feelings run." Michaela then pulled Riliane into a hug, which was immediately returned. "Promise to never leave me?"_

_"__Never shall I leave you willingly," Riliane promised. "If fate ever forced us apart, I swear we shall be united again. I will always find you."_


	3. Chapter 3

Months came and went too quickly for Miku to truly processed all that had happened. Before she knew it, the semester was over and she would have the summer off. However, instead of excitement over the break, Miku dreaded it. She didn't know if her friendship with Rin would survive the summer or if their lack of interactions would be the death of it.

After she finished her biology test, Miku waited out in the hall for Rin to do the same. It was their unspoken rule: The first person to finish would wait for the other, no exceptions. Out of their three tests and the midterm, Miku was the person who waited three times. Not that she minded. As long as it meant she could spend a little extra time with Rin, she would wait for as long as necessary.

"I think I failed that," Rin said immediately after the classroom door closed behind her.

"You say that after every test, and on every test you get a good grade," Miku replied as they walked away from the classroom. "Why do you not accept you're much smarter than you give yourself credit for?"

"Better to pass a test I thought I failed than to fail a test I thought I passed." Although the comment itself was Rin-like, Rin didn't have her usual sass when she said it.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong."

"Rin, no matter how sleep deprived you get, you never act this down. Something must be on your mind."

"Perhaps I don't want to share it."

Miku blinked in surprise. Neither spoke as they completed their walk through the halls and made their way outside. Eventually Rin came to a halt, and Miku stopped beside her.

"If I text you the address to my apartment," Rin began, "would you come over?"

It was as if Miku's heart skipped a beat. Rin never invited people over to her apartment. She openly stated whenever she could how she hated houseguests. Not that Miku minded if she never saw where Rin lived, yet that acceptance made the invite all that more a shock.

"Of course," Miku replied. "Rin, what is this about? Should I be worried?"

"You'll find out tonight." Rin showed Miku a small smile before giving a halfhearted wave. "See you then."

"See you," Miku whispered, watching Rin's retreating figure.

* * *

Miku gaped first when she parked at the apartment complex and a second time as Rin led her inside. _This place is like a palace!_ She followed behind the silent Rin, wondering just how extravagant Rin's apartment would be.

"Is your family rich?" Miku asked before she knew the words were out of her mouth.

If Rin was bothered, she didn't show it as she answered, "Yeah. My dad's a high-class lawyer, and my mom's a famous surgeon. It's safe to say we have money."

"Then why are you attending community college?"

"Because I don't want wealth to define me. I only agreed to live in such a nice complex because the security here gives my parents reason to sleep at night."

Biting her lip, Miku wondered how to progress forward. When Rin finally let Miku into her apartment, Miku gave the generic compliment of how nice it was.

Rin snorted. "You can't fool me, Miku. I know you think this looks like a princess lives here."

It did. Marble floors, high ceiling, large windows – contrary to Rin's tomboyish personality. The place was spotless. It also felt . . . empty.

"You must be so lonely here," Miku said as she walked further inside and took in the grand décor and fancy furniture.

Instead of denying it, Rin admitted, "I try to keep my family situation as quiet as possible. People tend to use you when they know what you have and what you can do for them."

"Are you scared how I'll treat you now that you're showing me all this?"

"Not as scared as I am to tell you what I want to."

Frowning, Miku said, "There's no reason to be scared, Rin. I'm your friend. You can trust me."

Rin laughed without humor. "Much easier said than done."

"Fair enough."

After a moment of uncomfortable silence, Rin suggested they order takeout. Not wanting to rush Rin, Miku agreed. They would have all night for whatever Rin wanted to talk about.

Yet Rin struggled to eat. With a sigh, she pushed away her Chinese food. "This is so stupid."

"Don't say that," Miku said as she set down her own chopsticks.

"You don't even know what I'm going to say."

"Until I hear what it is you have to say, I'm not going to think it's stupid."

Rin got up from her seat next to Miku. She paced the dining room, struggling to find the words. Then, with the decision to rip off the band aid, she declared, "I like you!"

All color drained from Miku's face. She long accepted Rin might never feel for her the way she felt for Rin. Even after hours spent trying to figure out what Rin wanted to talk about, a confession never crossed her mind.

At Miku's stunned silence, Rin spoke quickly. "I can't understand my own feelings. I mean I've known for a long time that I'm asexual – that's not changed. Yet I so strongly believed I was aromantic as well. I never crushed on anyone, after all.

"Then I met you, and . . . and I found myself drawn to you. I can't explain it, Miku. It's like my very soul is attracted to you. Cheesy, right? I'm not sure how I like you, but I like you nonetheless. I hate myself for how strongly I feel, and I hate myself for not understanding these strong feelings in the first place, and . . ." Rin sighed. "I don't know if I just screwed everything up between us. As much as I like being friends with you, there's a part of me that wants more. The problem is I don't even know what 'more' means."

Miku didn't know what to say. She knew sitting dumbstruck wouldn't help the situation, but no words came to mind. Just because she could say something didn't mean she should. Thinking such, Miku decided words would be useless in this instance.

Rising from the table, Miku slowly approached Rin. Said blonde didn't turn around, possibly too scared to see Miku's reaction. Miku didn't mind.

Gently, Miku wrapped her arms around Rin and pulled her in, hugging her from behind. Rin gasped. Miku tucked her face into the crook of Rin's neck. In response, Rin wrapped her fingers around Miku's arms and hugged her back that way. The hot splashed Miku felt on her bare arms explained Rin's slightly shaking form.

"I don't know what 'more' means either," Miku whispered. "How about you and I try to find that out together?"

* * *

_Life, although drastically different from what it was a year ago, could not have been better. Michaela spent the days working alongside Riliane, and every night they shared a bed, falling asleep in each other's arms. Whenever they could escape their responsibilities, they would simply spend time together – whether having a picnic under the sun, reading during a rainy day, or talking about their dreams._

_"__When we've saved up enough," Riliane began during one of those times, her and Michaela being ahead of their chores and thus hiding in the parlor for a while, "I would like to move into a little cottage near a river. We shall have a lovely garden with the most beautiful flowers!"_

_"__And who, pray tell, shall tend to the garden?" Michaela tossed a blueberry at Riliane's cheek, but the other woman caught it in her mouth and chewed triumphantly. "I have seen you kill weeds."_

_"__My apologies for assuming you liked gardening." Riliane scooped a handful of berries from the bowl Michaela sat on her lap. "I shall love the opportunity to paint the landscape. Perhaps journal. There would be no limit to what we could do."_

_"__I would love to work in fashion," Michaela said, sighing happily. "We could also start our own little library, filling our shelves with all the books we read together."_

_"__What a lovely idea!" Riliane swallowed more blueberries. "We should get a dog."_

_"__Absolutely no dogs."_

_"__A cat then."_

_"__No."_

_"__Well, why not?"_

_"__I don't want to compete for your affections with another being, especially an animal." Michaela smiled sweetly before standing. She leaned over and kissed Riliane on the cheek. "Come, we had ought to resume our chores before we get caught lollygagging."_

* * *

"You want me to move in with you?" Miku asked, mouth agape.

Rin shrugged before she answered, "Eventually, yeah, but no need to rush it now. Not until we graduate college and get decent jobs, if that's what you prefer."

It had been six months since Miku and Rin became . . . whatever they were. They weren't a couple in the traditional sense, but they were more than best friends. The physical affection never went beyond cuddling, but Miku was okay with it. She somehow found satisfaction in the emotional alone. Similarly, Rin was also happy with whatever it was they had between them. Not necessarily lovers, but still something as wonderful.

"You know I like having you over," Rin teased, poking Miku with her pen instead of doing her sociology homework like she was supposed to. "And I know you like staying over. Why not make your staying over a permanent thing?"

"Aren't we moving a little fast, Rin?"

"Did I not say we can wait until after we graduate if you wanted?"

Miku snorted. "Can we get a dog?"

"Absolutely no dogs."

"A cat then?"

"No."

"Well, why not?"

"I don't want to compete for your affections with another being, especially an animal."

Unable to resist laughing at Rin, Miku shook her head. Then she froze. Something about that exchange brought up a sense of déjà vu. She peeked at Rin, but the blonde was silent as she stared intently at her homework.

Miku opened her mouth to speak, but she was interrupted as Gumi made her presence known.

"Did you seriously start without me?" She rolled her eyes as she plopped down next to Miku. "You two again, off in your own little world."

"You're not even taking sociology, Gumi."

"Doesn't mean I can't do my homework with you, Rin." Gumi grinned as she retrieved her literature textbook from her backpack. "I'm still your friend, right?"

"Of course, Gumi," Miku said, throwing her arm over the greenette. "By the way, where's the $10 you owe me?"

Removing Miku's arm from around her shoulders, Gumi laughed as she replied, "I'm gonna need another week on that."

"You're gonna have to accept you ain't ever getting that ten back," Rin told Miku before winking at Gumi.

"Too bad," Miku said. "I was going to take you out to lunch with that money."

Rin looked at Gumi. "Pay her back now!"

After the three had finished laughing, Gumi asked, "Have you already registered for next semester?"

"You mean our last semester? Of course!" Rin jumped in her seat. "Just one more semester after this, and we're free!"

"Free to get full time jobs and work for the rest of our lives."

"Shut up, Miku. You didn't have to kill all the fun."

"I'm just being realistic, Rin."

Rin stuck her tongue out at Miku, to which Miku responded by lurching forward and kissing Rin on the cheek. "Now get back to studying," she ordered. "You can't graduate with me if you fail this class."

"You two make me miss my ex-girlfriend," Gumi said, waggling a finger at them. "Stop rubbing it in."

Knowing Gumi was only half joking, Rin replied, "Noted. Now, who wants to get pizza?"

"Rin," Miku sighed, "we haven't even been doing our homework for an hour."

"I can't study on an empty stomach. Gumi, what do you say?"

"If you're paying," Gumi said, "then I'm totally down for a pizza."

"Yes!" Giving Miku her best puppy eyes, Rin asked, "Miku, would you mind calling to place the order? You know I hate using the phone."

The only answer Miku could give was a smile as she shook her head.

* * *

_"__I love shopping days!" Michaela exclaimed as she and Riliane wandered through the streets of the crowded marketplace._

_Hand in hand, they viewed every shop that caught their interest as they made their way to the produce vender to purchase the things Cook needed for the master's banquet that night. The sounds of chatter filled the air, and the smells of freshly baked bread, perfumes, and sweat had them surrounded, creating a sickening fragrance both women had since learned to ignore. Vendors called out to them to see their merchandise, and occasionally someone would mutter "Get out of the way" as they slammed right into either Michaela or Riliane. If not for their joined hands, the women would have been separated more than once. The marketplace was not normally this crowded._

_"__Stay close to me," Riliane said as she pulled the distracted Michaela back towards her. "There are a lot of people here. I don't want to lose sight of you."_

_"__You worry too much," Michaela replied, but she pressed her body closer to Riliane's anyway._

_Gasping, Riliane turned around and dragged Michaela along with her. "We need to hide!"_

_"__What? Why?"_

_"__Felicity soldiers," Riliane hissed._

_"__It's been over a year since the revolt," Michaela tried to say as she and Riliane fled the marketplace. "The king has been dethroned. Nobody alive can challenge the new emperor. Why fear the soldiers?"_

_"__You may be no threat," Riliane began, "but that doesn't mean they will spare you. Not if they know who you are." They turned down a dark alleyway. "If they find out you're alive, they might get ideas."_

_"__Ideas? Such as?"_

_"__You were with child when we fled," Riliane explained, "and have Kyle's son – someone who can one day fight for the Felicity throne – in hiding. Even with no proof of such, they won't take chances. They will search through Master's home. They will kill anyone who gets in the way. They might even destroy the manor just to be safe. Michaela, we can't do that to our friends."_

_"__You really thought this through," Michaela breathed._

_"__I had to be fully aware of the potential dangers if I was to know how to best protect you."_

_However, when they were caught, it wasn't by Felicity soldiers._

_"__Stop right there," a tall, muscular man said as he stepped out of the shadows. "Where do you think you're going in such a rush?"_

_Gritting her teeth, Riliane continued to pull Michaela along as she said, "No place you are invited, bandit."_

_Another man stepped out, blocking Riliane's path. She pushed Michaela behind her and gritted her teeth as more men emerged from the shadows. They were surrounded._

* * *

Of course that was the point when Miku woke up from her dream.

Slick with sweat, Miku rose from her bed and peeled off her damp clothes. There was no way she was going back to sleep without showering first.

After she finished and dressed, Miku walked into the kitchen with the intent of having a cup of tea before bed. Perhaps a calming, hot mug would help her fall back asleep. Maybe it would also help with those dreams.

"Will they ever stop?" Miku muttered to herself, pouring the hot water into her mug. As she dipped the tea bag, she contemplated the meaning of the dreams.

At first it was the same one over and over – Michaela, hiding in the closet, witnessing her husband's beheading, and sitting trapped in a fire. Then Riliane appeared, and the dreams started to progress from there. Sometimes Miku had the same dream multiple times before a new one came, and other times she wouldn't dream for weeks. Some dreams were scary, like the one that woke Miku. Others were pleasant, like the one with Michaela and Riliane talking about living in their own cottage and not getting a dog.

"Not getting a dog," Miku whispered, dumbstruck. She and Rin had the exact same conversation. It may have been a coincidence, but it was a surprising one nonetheless.

Without even thinking about it, Miku picked up her phone and texted Rin. _You up?_

Rin's reply was immediate. _When do I ever sleep?_ Miku's phone dinged with the second text. _Everything okay?_

_I'm fine. Just had a bad dream._

_Think you'll be able to go back to sleep?_

_If my tea does its job, then maybe._

_I'm coming over._

Miku didn't know what to do. Part of her thought she should text Rin back to not worry about it. She didn't want to inconvenience Rin. Yet more of her wanted to see Rin, and that selfish part won out.

Since she had her own key, Rin let herself in when she arrived at Miku's place. Miku was still sitting at her kitchen table when Rin arrived, half drunk mug of tea in hands. Watching as Rin sat across from her, Miku said, "You know you didn't really have to come all the way over here, did you?"

"'All the way over here'? Don't make it sound like I live all the way across town or something," Rin replied, "Besides, I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to. Bad dreams are no joke."

"Have you been having bad dreams, too?"

"Yeah. Well, not recently. It's been a minute."

"Want something to drink?" Miku asked as she rose from the table.

"Coffee, please," Rin answered.

Snorting, Miku said, "Coffee at two in the morning? No wonder you can't sleep."

"Maybe I have insomnia. You never know, Miku. I haven't tried seeing a doctor."

"Perhaps you should try." Miku smiled, shaking her head as she got a mug prepared for Rin.

"So," Rin began when Miku sat down again, "what kind of bad dreams are you having?"

Gripping her now lukewarm tea, Miku replied, "I don't know how to describe them. It's like watching a movie, I guess, but I don't understand why I'm having the dreams."

"Do you think dreams are important? That they try to tell us something we need to know?"

"Whenever I have a dream about going to class in my underwear, I think not." Miku chuckled before sobering up again. "Then there are dreams in which I honestly don't know. Maybe dreams say something important. Maybe it's all just a coincidence. Who honestly knows?" Miku frowned. "What do you think?"

Rin shrugged. "I believe dreams can be powerful. They can reveal our deepest, darkest fears, and they can show us our greatest wishes." Rin said the last part quietly. "I once heard that dreams can be our memories of our previous lives."

The comment struck Miku, but before she could reply to it, Rin abruptly stood. "Once my coffee's done, wanna start a movie? Maybe we'll fall asleep faster if we have some white noise."

With the decision to make herself a fresh mug of tea, Miku replied, "I don't see why not."

* * *

_"__Where are such pretty girls going in such a hurry?" one of the men said. "Why don't you ladies stay a while? Have some fun?"_

_"__I call first round on the pretty tall one," another said._

_"__Nobody touch the short one. She's mine."_

_"__Yeah, stay with us. No reason to leave in such a rush."_

_Michaela whimpered, but Riliane told the men, "You don't know what kind of mistake you're making. Let us go, and I'll let you live."_

_The men all laughed. "What is a pint-sized thing like you gon' do to us?"_

_Pulling a knife from her belt, Riliane whispered to Michaela, "Stay off to the side," before she flung her knife at one of the men._

_When the blade found its mark in the man's throat, the rest of them jumped into action. Riliane had more knives on her person, and she used her smaller frame and lighter weight to her advantage. She was quicker, and unlike some of the men, she wasn't drunk._

_Michaela watched as Riliane ducked, spun, and stabbed the men coming her way as if this was no more than a dance rehearsal. Many of Riliane's knives were embedded in the bodies of her attackers. One man grabbed her from behind, but Riliane used his weight against him by throwing him over her shoulder and slamming him to the floor._

_It happened so fast that Michaela couldn't believe Riliane had taken down all six men in a matter of seconds. She quickly retrieved some of her knives, wiping them on her cloak. "We need to go, now," she stressed as she put some of her knives away._

_With her back turned, she didn't see one of the men rising to his feet. His own knife in hand, he lunged for Riliane. Michaela cried out, her warning reaching Riliane's ears._

_Riliane turned and dug her last exposed blade into the man's chest. He dropped dead. Surveying the others, Riliane concluded they were not going to jump up again._

_"__Riliane?" Michaela questioned when Riliane stood still for a moment too long._

_Speaking softly, Riliane said, "I need you to go back to Master's house. Hide there until the Felicity soldiers leave Thornton. The master is kind; he shall treat you well in my absence."_

_Michaela shook her head. "What are you saying? You're coming back with me, right?"_

_This was when Riliane turned around. She did kill the man, but she was a fraction of a second too slow. His own knife remained in her stomach, so deep in her body that only the hilt was showing._

_"__Riliane?" Michaela gasped as she covered her mouth. She lurched forward when Riliane's legs gave out from under her, and she caught her friend before she could hit the ground. "It's okay. You're going to be okay. It's okay," she said over and over, holding the paling Riliane in her arms. Riliane's head rested on Michaela's shoulder, their hands clasped together._

_"__You must live," Riliane said over the blood pouring from her mouth._

_Shaking her head furiously, Michaela replied, "No. Not without you. Not without you, Riliane."_

_"__You must." She reached out and wiped the hot tears from Michaela's eyes. "If you don't, my death will be in vain. Certainly you love me more than that, Michaela."_

_"__I love you too much to live without you," Michaela hiccupped. Resting her forehead against Riliane's, she added, "I don't want to live in a world without you."_

_"__This isn't forever," Riliane promised. "I will always find you, Michaela, my love. I will always . . . find . . . you."_

_With the words spoken, Riliane breathed her last. Her eyes shut, and her head rolled to the side. Had she not been so pale, she would have looked as if she had merely fallen asleep._

_"__Riliane? Riliane?" Michaela began shaking her friend. "Riliane? Riliane! RILIANE?!"_

"Miku. Miku! MIKU!"

"Gah!" Miku gasped, bolting upright. Panting heavily, she took in her surroundings. She was home, in the living room, on the couch. She and Rin were sharing a blanket, and the credits for the movie they played rolled on the screen.

"Miku, are you okay?" Rin asked, hand on Miku's shoulder. "You were screaming."

"I . . . I . . ." Miku clutched the blanket. Her hands were trembling. She was covered in sweat again. So much for that shower.

"Miku," Rin whispered, concern heavy in her voice, "you're crying."

Wiping her eyes, Miku saw Rin spoke the truth. Hot tears dripped down her cheeks. The realization made her cry even harder.

"Oh, Miku." Rin pulled Miku into a hug, holding her close and rubbing her back.

Burying her face in the crook of Rin's neck, Miku cried, "Riliane."

"Riliane?"

Hearing Rin say the name, Miku froze. She hadn't meant to say that out loud. When Rin pulled away and searched her face, Miku didn't know what explanation to give.

"Rin, I-" Miku began, but she was cut off.

"I need to go," Rin said, jumping to her feet and flying out the door before Miku could get another word in.

Not knowing what to do – go after Rin, or give her space – Miku placed her face in her palms and cried.

* * *

"You _what_?!" Gumi exclaimed.

Miku, feeling depressed and needing a friend, texted Gumi earlier that morning and asked Gumi to meet her at the local Waffle House. Upon arrival, Gumi hugged the clearly distraught Miku and asked what was wrong. After Miku told her, Gumi intently listening the whole time, the greenette couldn't help but mutter into her coffee.

"Rin probably thinks that Riliane is a former lover of yours," she pointed out.

"I know," Miku replied, sinking lower in her chair.

"If she thinks Riliane is a former lover, than she most probably believes it's not her you see but Riliane."

"I know."

"But Miku, do you even know a Riliane?"

Not knowing how else to talk about it, Miku admitted, "Riliane is a person in my dreams." Before Gumi could ask any questions, Miku quickly explained, "I've been dreaming about Michaela Marlon and her guard and lover Riliane for over a year now. Last night I dreamed that Riliane died, and after dreaming about her for so long, it was hard to not get attached."

It took longer than Miku was comfortable with for Gumi to get together her words. "Do you mean the very same Michaela Marlon we learned about in humanities?"

Miku nodded.

Gumi pursed her lips. "Odd. I don't remember learning about Riliane."

"She was never brought up. I don't think there are any documents of her actually living."

"So your brain brought her into existence in your dreams?"

"I honestly don't know."

"This is certainly very strange." Gumi poured more syrup over her waffles. "Honestly, Miku, I don't know what to say. Perhaps a psychiatrist can tell you what those dreams mean, if they mean anything at all. However, I can tell you this: Talk to Rin. Explain why you were calling another girl's name. She really cares about you; if she knows how you really feel, she won't hold this against you. Rin's a lot of negative things, but she isn't petty."

"Rin spent all semester writing really small, tight cursive in humanities because Professor Hiyama said day one of class that he can't stand it when students write small words."

"Okay, Rin isn't petty over things that aren't stupid. Just talk to her."

Miku sighed as she picked up her mug of coffee but didn't drink it. "I will. Thanks, Gumi."

"Of course." Gumi smiled. "Now you two kiss and make up already. I'm just dying for you and Rin to meet my new girlfriend, but we can't do a double date if you two aren't talking."

Unable to stop the giggle from rising out of her throat, Miku replied, "Noted, Gumi. Noted."

* * *

It turned out that Miku didn't have to be the one to reach out to Rin.

_Meet me at my place in half an hour. Let yourself in._

Rin sent that text fifteen minutes before Miku saw it, so she had fifteen minutes to get to Rin's apartment. Just as Rin had a key to Miku's place, so Miku had a key to Rin's. Once she arrived and entered, Miku began looking for the petite blonde.

"Rin?" Miku called out. Nobody answered. Miku was about to jump into a panic-induced search when she saw Rin standing on the balcony, arms on the railing.

As Miku opened the glass door and stepped outside, her heart leveled up from pounding to hammering in her chest. There were so many things that could go wrong. Miku feared what would be the thing that broke their relationship and if that thing would come to pass if neither were careful.

Steeling herself, Miku called again, softly, "Rin?"

"I'm sorry I ran off last night, Miku," Rin said, refusing to turn around. "It's just . . . I needed to think. When you said that name, it, uh, it reminded me of something I had forgotten. Dreams, or so I thought."

"I don't understand," Miku said as she slowly walked closer to Rin. So much of her wanted to reach out, but she forced herself to not move any closer.

The sun was setting, and it cast its light onto Rin's face. The golden rays kissed her skin. She looked like a painting, beautiful in the moment as she always was.

"I can't sleep at night because of these dreams," Rin continued, speaking softly. "I don't know what it is, but they haunt me in some way. Even though I never remembered them, they had a hold on me I couldn't explain.

"Then you said that name. Riliane. It was slow at first, but then it all slammed into me at once and made sense of everything. I recalled the dreams, details, emotions and all. Except they're not just dreams. They're . . . they're memories."

Dumbstruck, Miku could do nothing but stand stone still as Rin slowly, finally turned around. Her tears reflected the sunshine. As if forcing the words out, Rin asked, "Michaela . . . is that you?"

The air was knocked out of Miku. She remembered the dreams full force. They were clearer now, more vivid. The dreams felt real because they _were_ real. That face she saw so regularly when she slept – strong, determined, and fierce – looked at her now. Vulnerable. Hopeful. _Alive_.

Miku's answer was a single name. "Riliane."

Both girls rushed together, embraced each other, and held the other tightly as both cried.

* * *

The tears were a never-ending waterfall. When they had calmed down enough to breath, the sun had long set. Exhausted both physically and emotionally, both girls retreated to Rin's room. They lied side by side, facing each other, hands firmly clasped. _How many nights,_ they each wondered, _have we spent like this?_

"You're alive," Miku said again for the dozenth time.

"I am," Rin confirmed.

"Riliane, I missed you so much." She squeezed Rin's hand harder. "I missed you so much I thought I would die!"

"How did you live after I passed away?" Rin asked. "Michaela, I was far more scared of what became of you than of my own death."

"I lived because you ordered me to," Miku answered. "When we fled Felicity, you told me to always choose life, and I did. It was hard, and some days I wanted desperately to give up, but I kept going because I knew it's what you wanted me to do.

"After we buried you, I left Master to live in a nunnery. Life was peaceful and uneventful. I missed you every day, and I couldn't wait till we could be reunited. It was really frustrating that I lived to be one hundred, if I'm being honest, Riliane."

"But we're together now." Rin kissed Miku's knuckles.

Miku smiled. "Not how I imagined our reunion, but I'll take it."

"Now we know Michaela Marlon lived after all," Rin said.

"With the help of an amazing woman nobody even knows lived," Miku replied.

Silence, and then Rin whispered, "Michaela . . . Miku, I don't want to let the past define our future."

"What do you mean?" Miku questioned.

"I mean, we're not Michaela and Riliane anymore. That was our past. A previous life. We're Miku and Rin now. I want to remain Rin."

"What about us?" Miku asked. "What about what we had?"

"It will always be a part of us," Rin answered, "but we shouldn't spend our lives trying to relive the past. Riliane loved Michaela, but there's no place for Riliane in this time. She had her life; being reborn doesn't change anything."

"I see." Miku tried to pull away, but Rin held her hands close.

"Rin, however, is here to stay," Rin said, "and so is Miku. Rin loves Miku. How does Miku feel?"

It was almost as if Miku's heart stopped. _Rin loves Miku._ "Miku loves Rin," she said before she giggled. "I mean I love you, Rin. I love you as Riliane, I love you as Rin, and I love you as the next person you'll be born to be." She kissed Rin's forehead. "I will always love you, no matter what."

"So will I." Rin kissed Miku's knuckles again, longer this time. She repositioned herself to lie on her back, and Miku moved to use Rin's shoulder as a pillow. Stroking Miku's hair as they fell asleep, Rin promised, "Tomorrow, we return to being Miku and Rin. We'll discover what this life has in store for us. We'll make the best of this life. If fate ever tried to separate us again, we will meet again. I will always find you."

Before she drifted off to sleep, Miku smiled and returned the promise. "And I will always find you."

* * *

**Author's Note: Thank you so much for reading this three-shot! I really hoped you enjoyed it. :) If you did like my story, don't be afraid to Favorite and leave a review telling me what you think. Every little thing readers do to support** **writers really helps.**

**My other fanfic, _Blood Rose_, will be updated sometime next week, so if you want more MikuXRin action then I suggest you check it out. It's my current favorite work-in-progress, and I'm really excited to be putting it out there in the world for us shojo ai fans. Let us all work together to spread the Rinku love!**

**Thank you again for reading "I Will Always Find You"! You're awesome. Love you all so much!**

**\- Fantastical**


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